Google Duplex updates

Duplex, Google’s “AI technology that uses natural conversation to get things done,” was first launched at the company’s 2018 I/O conference as a way to automatically make phone calls for reservations at restaurants or rental car services (see DT #13). It’s now being used in a lot more places, from calling businesses listed on Google Maps to automatically confirm their opening times, to screening potential spam phone calls. Personally I’d feel a little rude having Duplex make a reservation for me, but I think the use case of double-checking opening times is very useful — especially now, during the pandemic — since that single automated call can prevent a lot of people from showing up to closed doors if opening times are wrong on Google Maps.